Giorgoba 2026: St George's Day in Georgia on November 23 — Traditions and Where to Go

I guide visitors around Tbilisi's churches all year, and Giorgoba is one of the few days when the churches are full of Georgians rather than tourists: families, students, elderly people holding candles. If you are in Georgia in late November, this day is worth seeing. Below are the dates, the meaning of the feast, where to go and how to plan the long weekend.

When is Giorgoba in 2026 and 2027

Giorgoba is celebrated twice a year, but only the November date is a public holiday. Both dates are fixed and do not depend on Easter.

In 2026 November 23 is a Monday. Many Georgians leave for their home villages on Friday evening, so book transfers and regional accommodation for these dates in advance.

Why St George is honoured twice a year

May 6 (April 23 in the old calendar) marks St George's death and is celebrated across the Orthodox world. November 23 (November 10 in the old calendar) commemorates his torture on the wheel. This feast is unique to the Georgian Church; other Orthodox countries do not have a separate day for it. According to tradition, it was established by St Nino, who brought Christianity to Georgia and whom Georgian tradition holds to be a relative of St George.

The wheel scene appears on medieval frescoes. One of the best known is in Nakipari church in Upper Svaneti, painted by the master Tevdore in 1130: Roman soldiers turn the wheel while the emperor watches from his throne.

St George and Georgia

Together with the Virgin Mary, St George is considered the country's heavenly patron. You will see him everywhere in Georgia:

• Churches. A popular saying goes that Georgia has 365 churches of St George, one for every day of the year. Nobody has made an exact count, but there are indeed hundreds.
• The flag. The large red cross on the white field of the national flag is the cross of St George.
• The name. Giorgi is the most common male name in the country, so Giorgoba is also a nationwide name day. More in our guide to Georgian names.
• The country's name. The English name Georgia is often linked to St George. It is a nice story, but linguists trace the name to the Persian word "gurj", which is what Persians called Georgians.

How Georgians celebrate Giorgoba

The day starts in church. In the morning every active church holds a festive liturgy, bells ring and people light candles in front of St George's icons. After the service comes a family feast with khachapuri, mtsvadi, wine and toasts, the first of which is usually raised to St George.

Everyone called Giorgi, Gogi, Gio or Gia gets name-day wishes. In Georgian the greeting is "Gilotsavt Giorgobas!" (გილოცავთ გიორგობას), meaning "Happy Giorgoba!". Locals love hearing it from a foreigner.

In the mountain regions of Pshavi, Khevsureti and Tusheti, St George is also venerated in folk tradition as Tetri Giorgi, "White George", the protector of communities, with feasts at local shrines. By late November, however, roads to these areas are closed by snow, so as a visitor you will see the feast more easily in Tbilisi or Kakheti.

Where to spend Giorgoba in Tbilisi

The capital's main church of St George is Kashveti on Rustaveli Avenue, opposite the Parliament building. It was built in 1904–1910 to a design by architect Leopold Bielfeld, modelled on the medieval Samtavisi Cathedral. In 1947 the painter Lado Gudiashvili decorated the interior. His frescoes broke so far from the canon that he was expelled from the Communist Party.

On Giorgoba morning Kashveti is crowded, and the queue to St George's icon can stretch into the courtyard. To see the frescoes calmly, come in the afternoon after the main service. As in every active church, entry is free.

Other old-town churches are open on the feast too: Sioni, Metekhi, Anchiskhati and Sameba Cathedral. All of them are part of our Tbilisi churches tour, 3–4 hours with a guide from ₾145 per person, and Kashveti is also listed in the tour route. The guide explains what is happening during the service and where you may and may not take photos.

Alaverdi: St George's Cathedral in Kakheti

To spend Giorgoba outside the city, go to Alaverdi. This 11th-century Cathedral of St George was built by King Kvirike III of Kakheti on the site of a 6th-century church founded by St Joseph of Alaverdi. At about 50 metres, it was the tallest church in Georgia until Tbilisi's Sameba Cathedral was consecrated in 2004.

Inside are frescoes, including St George on horseback. Alaverdi is an active monastery for monks with an old wine cellar. It is 105 km from Tbilisi, about two hours by car.

Alaverdi is included in our Telavi day trip from Tbilisi, from ₾185 per person, 11 hours, up to 7 people. The same day covers Batonistsikhe fortress, the Alazani Valley, the Ikalto academy and a tasting at a family winery. In late November Kakheti is about +11 °C during the day; the harvest is over, but the young wine is ready.

What is open on November 23

Tbilisi in late November is around +13 °C by day and +5 °C at night, and the first snow falls in Kazbegi. More on weather and trips this month in Georgia in November.

Church etiquette on a feast day

• Dress. Women: a skirt below the knee and a headscarf. Men: long trousers and no hat. Large churches usually have skirts and scarves at the entrance.
• Photos. Do not photograph worshippers or priests during the service. Afterwards you can usually photograph the interior, without flash.
• Candles. Sold at the entrance. Candles for the living go in front of the icons; candles for the departed go on a separate stand.
• Crowds. People stand during the liturgy and there are almost no benches. Do not push to the front or stand with your back to the altar.

The rest of the rules that apply in every Georgian church are in our guide to monasteries in Georgia.

A plan for the long weekend, November 21–23

• Saturday, November 21. Kakheti and Alaverdi, before the main holiday traffic starts.
• Sunday, November 22. Mtskheta: Jvari, Svetitskhoveli and Samtavro, a half-day tour from ₾98.
• Monday, November 23. Morning service at Kashveti, then the churches of old Tbilisi, and dinner with Georgian toasts in the evening.

November is low season, so even on the holiday you can see the main sights without summer queues.

Georgia’s holiday calendar for the year ahead

If Giorgoba falls during your trip, here are the other big holidays worth planning a visit around:

In Georgia St George is everywhere: on the coat of arms, in names, in hundreds of churches. That is why Giorgoba feels to me like a feast of the whole country, not just a church day. In Tbilisi I suggest stopping by Kashveti on Rustaveli in the morning, and if you have a long weekend, going to Alaverdi in Kakheti. The feast is felt most strongly there, and you can visit winemakers on the way.

Sources

• Labour Code of Georgia, Article 20: public holidays (Matsne)
• Georgian Orthodox Church: official Patriarchate website